What VR does for you

How to become a full member ?

To become a full member and be entitled to the other benefits that such membership covers, you will need to have paid the minimum membership fee during the past 12 months. Your employer pays a matching contribution to your membership fee as follows:

1% to the sick-pay fund

0.25% to the holiday-pay fund

0.30% to the vocational training fund

0.10% to the rehabilitation fund

Everyone who has made payments to VR during the past 12 months can apply for a access to Mínar síður (My pages) on the VR website, members´personal web pages. Mínar síður shows a statement of your payments and what services you have taken advantage of. Moreover, full members can see their standing in VR’s funds (in Icelandic only).

VR looks out for your interests:

VR negotiates collective wage agreements and company agreements.

VR assists in the calculation of wages, the interpretation of collective wage agreements, and in resolving disputes in the workplace.

VR assists in the negotiation of employment contracts

VR provides legal assistance with regard to wage terms and the collection of salary claims, e.g. due to company bankruptcy.

VR performs an annual salary survey and a company of the year survey for comparison purposes.

VR carries out campaigns in the media to raise awareness about various issues, such as gender-related wage differences.

VR issues reminders about its members’ rights in relation to various issues—such as wage increases, vacations, holiday and December supplements, and rest periods—by means of advertisements in the media.

VR is a member of ASÍ (the Icelandic Confederation of Labour).

If you become ill or have an accident, you are entitled to:

Sickness benefits after sick-pay rights expire (80% of wages) for up to 270 days.

Sickness benefits for accidents suffered during leisure time (80% of wages).

Sickness benefits for alcohol-abuse treatment (80% of wages).

Daily payments for caring for sick children under the age of 18 (80% of wages) for up to 270 days.

Accident, death, and disability benefits for children up to the age of 18.

Disability compensation for accidents during leisure time

Death benefits.

VR contingency fund

The VR contingency fund combines the member entitlements from various different funds into one fund which members can utilise with great freedom and flexibility.

VR helps to improve member vacations:

VR vacation homes can be booked for a defined lease period three times a year. Bookings are accepted on a first come, first served basis.

VR wholly supports continuous learning and vocational retraining.

You are entitled to:

Vocational training grants—the amount can be up to 130.000 ISK yearly, or if it is not used for 3 whole years it is possible to apply for a grant of 390.000 ISK.

Hobby subsidies.

Better access to information—the VR magazine is sent to your home free of charge.